Scottish Government

STRONGER AND SAFER - Access and Affordability

Chart 4.10 Distance to nearest large or medium general store by local authority in Scotland

Source: Accessing Healthy Food: A Sentinel Mapping Study of Healthy Food Retailing in Scotland, 2008

• The average distance to a medium/large food store is 2,328 metres.
• City local authorities have shorter distances (Glasgow average is 605 metres). Rural local authorities have longer distances (Shetland average is 17,424 metres).

Chart 4.11 Annual Retail Price Index ( RPI) inflation rate for each month Nov 2007-April 2009, UK

Source: Retail Price Index, Office of National Statistics

• Food inflation has been on the rise since late 2007 and reached its peak in August 2008 of 12.8%, which was 8% higher than the overall "all items" rate.
• Since August 2008, food inflation has been on a downward trend but in April 2009 it was still at 8.6%, well above the "all items" rate of -1.2%.

Chart 4.12 Monthly Retail Price Index ( RPI) inflation rate for each month Nov 2007-April 2009, UK

Source: Retail Price Index, Office of National Statistics

• The biggest change in food RPI in one month was in June 2008, when it increased by 2.2%. Additionally, in November 2008 food RPI increased by 1.6% and in February 2009 it increased by 1.7%.
• In December 2008, "all items" RPI fell by -1.4% - greatest monthly change in overall inflation rate in 18 months.

Chart 4.13 Percentage of household expenditure spent on food and non-alcoholic beverages by decile, UK, 2005/2006

Source: Office of National Statistics

• Share of household expenditure on food and non-alcoholic drinks decreases as the income rises. Those in the poorest decile of income allocate 15% of their expenditure to food. For those on highest incomes, it accounts for 7% of total expenditure.
• Those in the 2nd decile allocate the greatest proportion of their expenditure on food, which accounts for 17% of the total.

Chart 4.14 Estimated annual consumer price index ( CPI) inflation rate by gross income decile, Scotland, Feb 2007-July 2008

Source: Assessing the Effect of the Rise in Food Prices on the Purchasing Power of Consumers in Scotland, Scottish Agricultural College (based on UKCPI and Scotland EFS data from ONS)

• Those on lower incomes have experienced higher food and all items inflation in recent months. Differences in inflation rates come from different expenditure composition between deciles.
• Prior to November 2007, the differences in food inflation experienced by the poorest and richest deciles were smaller, which means the divergence was driven by prices going up on items that those on lower incomes consume more of.

Chart 4.15 Percentage of expenditure on household food and drink by product, Scotland, 2007

Source: Family Food 2007, Defra

• Meat accounted for 20% of Scottish consumer's total expenditure on food - the greatest share. Bread flour and cereal accounted for 12%, whilst alcoholic drinks accounted for 11%.
• Expenditure on fruit and vegetables was 15% and expenditure on fish was 4% of the total.

Chart 4.16 Growth in sales by supermarket type in Scotland Dec 2007-March 2009

Source: TNS Worldpanel

• Since food prices started going up at the end of 2007, discounter supermarkets have seen the largest increases in sales growth.
• Premium supermarkets have seen the largest declines in sales growth but this has picked up significantly since September 2008.

Note: Growth in sales compares sales during a 12 week period to sales during the same 12 week period in previous year.

Chart 4.17 Growth in supermarket sales by product category in Scotland, Scotland Dec 2007-March 2009

Source: TNS Worldpanel

• Annual growth in sales of value products increased to 45% in November 2008 and since then stabilised at 40% annual growth.
• Growth in sales of premium private label products fell during the same period, although some recovery has been observed in that market since January 2009.

Note: Growth in sales compares sales during a 12 week period to sales during the same 12 week period in previous year.